


A Stranger with a Friend

by Avanalae



Series: The Wanderer [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Tangled (2010)
Genre: Children, Cute, Flowers, Gen, Loneliness, Master of Death Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-31 13:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19426837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avanalae/pseuds/Avanalae
Summary: Rapunzel meets a strange man in her tower. He offers her a friend in exchange for a flower and it's the hardest choice the four year old has ever had to make.





	A Stranger with a Friend

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a series of almost completely unconnected oneshots/twoshots taking place in different universes.
> 
> Here we explore how Rapunzel got Pascal.

Rapunzel leans out of the window precariously, reaching for a pretty flower growing on the tower vines that she really wanted to give to Mother. It was yellow with curled petals and subtle colors and it's so bright! She reaches out just a bit more and-

"Oof!" As the flower came off in her hand, she was pulled, falling back against someone else. Distracted by her success, she hardly notices as the hands - larger than Mother's - gently sets her down on the floor. "Yes!"

"Please be more careful, little one." Rapunzel jumps and clutches the flower to her chest as she turns to the voice.

It's a- It's a  _ man _ ! At least she thinks so, she's never seen one before.

"Are you a man?" Rapunzel asks.

The person blinks, pausing in the motion of sitting down on the floor for just a moment. Soon enough, though, he's sitting cross-legged on the ground and their eyes are just about level. "Yes, little one. I'm a man."

"I'm not little! I'm four!" Rapunzel protests, holding up her hand, her fingers spread.

The man hums, "Are you now? I guess I was wrong, you must be a big girl."

"Yup!" A few of the fingers that she had held up go in the mouth as she stares into the man's eyes. They're green, greener than hers! But his hair is completely black, not at all like hers. "Are we releteted?"

"I believe you mean related, little one. But no, we are not." 

Rapunzel frowns, a bit sad, but she continues with gusto. "Than why you here?"

He glances out the window, and she follows his eyes. She sees a large bird circling in the distance, but not much else. When she looks back at him, he's looking at her, head tilted. 

"I'm here because it wasn't your time yet."

Rapunzel blinks, "What?"

He smiles at her, "Don't worry about it too much. I've already done my job. However…" He looks around the tower, his finger tapping his knee. She looks around, too, not seeing much of interest and not understanding the look in his eyes. "It must get lonely here."

Her cheeks puff up adorably, "I'm not lonely! I have Mother!" 

He smiles at her but it's a weird smile that makes her wonder. She isn't lonely, though.

Is she?

His eyes glint and his smile changes. "Tell you what, little Rapunzel."

She gasps quietly because how did he know her name? It's like magic!

"How would you like a friend?"

She gasps again and looks up at him, eyes wide. "A friend? Are you my friend?"

He chuckles, "I think I can get you something that will be a better friend than I would be."

"Huh?"

He reaches out and holds out his hand, "The only thing I ask for in exchange is that flower."

Rapunzel is confused for a moment before she looks down at where he's pointing and sees the flower shes still holding. "Oh!"

"If you give me that flower, I will give you a friend who will always be at your side. But it is up to you." His hands return to his lap.

She doesn't really notice, too busy staring at the flower. It's a little smushed but it's still a very pretty flower. In the dim tower room she sees that it glows a bit. Her heart hurts because Mother would surely be happy if she gave her this flower, but… She looks up at the man again, watching the side of his face as he stares out the window.

A friend…

Oh, how nice it would be to always have someone here with her in the tower.

Time passes as she thinks about it, hardly knowing she's making the most important decision of her life at that very moment. But she chooses.

She holds out the flower and the man smiles softly. He gently takes it from her and extends his other hand. She looks and there's something green in it!

"What-" but then his hand opens more and the thing unfurls and it's a little chameleon! "Oh!" 

The little creature looks around a bit before he sees her, but when their eyes meet something just pulls at her heart and she feels…  _ right. _

The man holds out his hand further and Rapunzel dazedly reaches out to the chameleon. It nuzzles her hand and skitters up her arm, making her giggle.

"What will you name him?"

Rapunzel thinks hard on this, harder on anything she's ever thought on before. Then she looks up and exclaims, "Pascal!"

He smiles and Pascal makes a pleased noise. "That's a wonderful name. Excellent choice." 

She beams. "Thank you!"

He stands slowly and when he's up, he pats her head. "Take good care of him, yes?" She nods. "But Rapunzel, it would be best if your Mother doesn't see him."

"Huh?" The little girl is terribly confused at this and the man smiles sadly. 

"He's your secret friend, after all. It'll be a secret between the three of us."

"Really?" She's not sure about keeping a secret from Mother, but she loves her new friend already and the idea of a special secret is so neat!

"Yup."

She pets Pascal, who chirps, then looks up to him, "Okay."

He pats her head again - it's so different from Mother - and then looks out the window. "Well, it's time for me to head out."

"Aw, really? You don't want to meet Mother? You could stay!" Rapunzel isn't sure why she's protesting, but she likes the man.

He smiles, "This isn't where I'm supposed to be, little one. My home is elsewhere."

"Oh… Will you visit?"

"Don't worry, little one, you won't miss me too much." This time when he pats her head, his hand slides over her eyes.

_

Sometimes she wonders where she found Pascal. Sometimes she dreams of a vague figure giving him to her but that's silly, she never met another other than Mother at the tower before Eugene.

_

Rapunzel's first child is a boy. 

Not really knowing why but feeling strongly about it, she names him Hadrian.


End file.
